View full sizeThe Columbia River Crossing may be dead, but the Coast Guard continues to consider whether to issue a bridge permit. Columbia River Crossing

The Columbia River Crossing may be dead, but its planners aren't withdrawing their application for a bridge permit from consideration by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Mandy Putney, a CRC spokeswoman, said Wednesday that managers of the project to replace the Interstate 5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver are shutting down operations, given the death of the proposal in the Washington Legislature.

"It seems like the idea right now is to keep the application in motion," Putney said. "It doesn't require active work."

A Coast Guard spokesman confirmed that the agency will continue considering the application unless the CRC withdraws it. The agency is expected to make a decision by about Sept. 30 on the permit, which a new bridge would require.

Are CRC managers keeping the application alive in case Olympia has a change of heart regarding the $3.4 billion project?